"GEQ [button] On/Off. By default, all graphic EQs are disabled. To enable any GEQ, simply click on this button." (StudioLiveSoftware_ReferenceManual-EN-V7_29092017, section 5.3)

Does this help?

Tried the button many times ..still not working

Do you have the "FOH" permission to change basic settings?
Are you listening to the physical outputs? (GEQs can not be heard on control buses)

Permission is set to foh .. Listened thru l/r and geq has no effect on the sound at all, pushed the high end to try to make it feed back and still did nothing, Also there are 2 fx is there a way to make it 4 fx?
I just bought this thinking it would be a nice addition to my current mixers, But I am starting to have 2nd thoughts about it.

We are talking about a "StudioLive 16R: 18-input, 16-channel Series III stage box and rack mixer"? The 16R has 4 FX...

Nope , the 16r has 2 internal fx buses... if it had 4 I would have bought it instantly

Oh, sorry, I haven't realized this detail yet. The missing second processor is cutting features down. This is "on board" :

8 31-band graphic EQs
2 internal effects buses: combination of reverbs and delays with modern and vintage options
6 FlexMixes (can be designated as aux, subgroup, or matrix mixes)

@ronron3: Do you have an idea why the equalizers do not work?

@ stratman31: I can not see any reason why the GEQs should not work, so I would recommend to load the "Zero Out" scene and set the mixer back to factory settings. I guess the GEQs are routed then already (2 mains, 6 auxes), but they are disabled, as the manual says. Have a look, if this helps.

I sent the 16r back and bought a 24r .. we will see if this one works .. But thanks for the help anyway.

@stratman31 did you find the R24 does not have the same issue? I am having the same problem you did with the R16.
Anybody found a solution to this?

Same here on 32R. I assigned a geq to an aux and didn't hear an effect. I might have listened on the headphone output though, but as far as I remember, the geq on the main out didn't work either..

Remember that it is not possible to hear the GEQs, if you are checking their functionality on the headphone/monitor bus. The graphic equalizers are routed directly to the physical outputs, so you will need to feed mains left/right or aux to an external headphone amp (or studio monitors, or PA) in order to check if the graphic equalizer works. If the GEQs decide to stay dead, there is no way to bring them back to life. Then it is necessary to open a support ticket and hope, that Baton Rouge takes care.